NORTH EAST NEW SOUTH WALES Fleshy Fruited 5 5 Food Trees What are Fleshy Fruits? reduction in extent and distribution of Fleshy fruits are produced by many plants, rainforest there has been a marked decline and in particular rainforest species, to in the abundance of a number of pigeons, NOTE enclose the seed for reproduction of the doves and parrots and other animals reliant NOTE plant. They comprise a fleshy outer layer on rainforests. Consequently many of these within a leathery skin and a central hard species are now considered rare and stone enclosing the seed. threatened in NSW. NPWS What can you do? The protection of vegetation including remnants and isolated paddock trees (e.g. figs) that annually produce fleshy fruit, is very significant in ensuring the continued survival of many threatened birds and mammals. In particular, the retention of Assortment of Fleshy Fruits these trees across the landscape provides an array of food resources for both local and Why are they important? migratory bird and flying-fox species. Fleshy fruits vary considerably in size and Table 1 lists some of the fleshy fruited texture making them an attractive and key rainforest species occurring on the north food resource for many species of native coast that are either keystone or regionally birds, particularly pigeons (many of which important species for providing food for feed almost exclusively on fleshy fruits), threatened species during various times of and a number of mammals such as the the year. When undertaking routine threatened Grey-headed Flying Fox. agricultural activities all efforts should be For some pigeons such as the Wompoo, made to retain and protect these species. Rose-crowned and Topknot, fleshy fruits comprise almost their entire diet, whilst other species such as fig parrots including Recovery Team Fig-Parrot Coxen’s the endangered Coxen’s Fig-Parrot, feed mainly on the seeds within fleshy fruits but may also incorporate insects in their diets. Flying foxes also rely heavily on fleshy fruits during periods of the year when they are more abundant. In return these animals play an important role in the dispersal of undigested seeds and the establishment of new rainforest species. The distribution of rainforest in NSW has been severely reduced since European settlement with for example less than 1% of Coxen’s Fig-Parrot lowland sub-tropical rainforest remaining. Outside of national parks, rainforest occurs Additionally, replacement of the weed now only as small areas, isolated remnants species Campher Laurel with native or as single trees in an agricultural rainforest species listed in Table 1 would be landscape. As a consequence of this severe beneficial for biodiversity. Natural Resource Management Advisory Series: Natural Resource Management Advisory Series: NORTH EAST NEW SOUTH WALES Table 1 Fleshy Fruited Rainforest Species Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name Acmena hemilampra Broad-leaved Lilly Pilly Ficus coronata Creek Sandpaper Fig Acmena ingens Red Apple Ficus fraseri Sandpaper Fig Acmena smithii Lilly Pilly Ficus macrophylla Moreton Bay Fig Acronychia oblongifolia Common Achronychia Ficus obliqua Small-leaved Fig Alangium villosum Muskwood Ficus rubiginosa Rusty Fig Anthocarapa nitidula Incense Cedar Ficus superba Deciduous Fig Aphananthe philippinensis Rough-leaved Elm Ficus virens White Fig Archontopheonix cunninghamiana Bangalow Palm Ficus watkinsiana Strangler Fig Austromyrtus bidwillii Python Tree Ixora beckleri Native Ixora Beilschmiedia elliptica Grey Walnut Litsea australis Brown Bolly Gum Beilschmiedia obtusifolia Blush Walnut Litsea reticulata Bolly Gum Canarium australisicum Mangobark Livistona australis Cabbage Palm Celtis paniculata Native Celtis Mallotus discolor White Kamala Cinnamomum oliveri Olivers Sassafras Melia azedarach White Cedar Cinnamomum virens Red-barked Sassafras Neolitsea australiensis Green Bolly Gum Citronella moorei Churnwood Neolitsea dealbata White Bolly Gum Cryptocarya bidwillii Yellow Laurel Olea paniculata Native Olive Cryptocarya erythroxylon Pigeonberry Ash Pennantia cunninghamii Brown Beech Cryptocarya obovata Pepperberry Planchonella laurifolia Blush Coondoo Cryptocarya triplinervis Three-veined Laurel Podocarpus elatus Brown Pine Decaspermum humile Silky Myrtle Polyscias elegans Celerywood Dendrocnide excelsa Giant Stinging Tree Polyscias murrayi Pencil Cedar Diospyros pentamera Myrtle Ebony Premna lignum-vitae Lignum-vitae Diploglottis australis Native Tamarind Rhodamnia argentea Malletwood Dysoxylum fraserianum Rosewood Rhodamnia rubescens Scrub Turpentine Dysoxylum mollisimum Red Bean Rhodomyrtus psidioides Native Gauva Ehretia acuminata Koda Sloanea australis Maidens Blush Elaeocarpus grandis Blue Fig/Blue Quandong Sloanea woolsii Yellow Carabeen Elaeocarpus kirtonii White Quandong Streblus brunonianus Whalebone Tree Elaeocarpus obovatus Hard Quandong Symplocos stawellii White Hazelwood Elaeocarpus reticulatus Blueberry Ash Symplocos thwaitesii Buff Hazelwood Emmenosperma alphitonoides Ye ll o w A s h Syzygium australe Brush Cherry Endiandra discolor Rose Walnut Syzygium corynanthum Sour Cherry Endiandra muelleri Green-leaved Rose Walnut Syzygium crebrinerve Purple Cherry Euroschinus falcata Ribbonwood Syzygium francisii Giant Watergum References and Further Reading Further Information Reference Books for Rainforest Tree Identification Environment Protection and Regulation Division • Floyd A (1989), Rainforest Trees of North East Branch Mainland South-eastern Australia, Forestry Department of Environment and Conservation Commission of NSW, Inkata Press. 24 Moonee Street • Williams J B, et al (1984), Rainforest Trees and COFFS HARBOUR NSW 2450 Shrubs of NSW and Southern Queensland, UNE. Phone: 6651 5946 • DEC website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au August 2004.